Blenster @Blenster@qoto.org

For anyone in and around the Portland area, I will be running two different LED project workshops, open to the public, at the Winter Lights Festival in conjunction with the CETI institute the weekend of Feb. 3-4. Details/signups at the links below:
https://ceti-s24-led-art1.eventbrite.com/
https://ceti-s24-led-art2.eventbrite.com/

So I do make open source hardware, and everything that I eventually choose to sell will be open source by the time I do it. Still, sometimes I share my behind-the-scenes process behind a paywall, and this month the peek behind the curtain is a longtime white whale of mine: having an astonishingly thin, densely packed, totally bespoke custom LCD fabricated for Sensor Watch. A first look, complete with a half dozen photos, in the Patreon post: https://www.patreon.com/posts/custom-lcd-has-96925072

Some friends and I were talking about our ample @adafruit shopping carts this morning, and a 10% off code is the perfect excuse to click “Checkout” and feed my noo nOOds obsession.

https://mastodon.cloud/@adafruit/111774264065204977

I want to take a moment of your time to talk about optocouplers.

#OptocouplerLife

https://youtube.com/shorts/0Mn7U_HTp0w?feature=share

I've had a few requests for the Kraken, so I took the opportunity for a little redesign.
* Switched to WS2816C-2121 16-bit HDR LEDs.
* Added pads for QT Py / XIAO and LiPo charger BFF.
* Added four touch pads (for the QT Py SAMD21).
* Rotated the touch pads / mounting holes 45° out of the way of the USB-C cable at the bottom.
I've ordered a small batch of prototypes, hopefully I can get them working. 🤞

Today's procrastimake was inspired by the frigid weather (elsewhere in the US, as I'm in SoCal) and the heads up (pun intended) from @Jorvon_Moss that tomorrow is National Hat Day. Seems like a good time to start sewing an LED string into a band to attach to a fleece cap.
#nationalhatday #sewingproject #ledwearables #wearables

This project was for a gift exchange, so I couldn't share it until now. It's a (large!) laptop bag/backpack with 100 LEDs in the front flap arranged in a Fibonacci spiral (inspired by @jasoncoon ) and diffused through a Voronoi arrangement of 3D printed translucent black PETG tiles.

Sort of hexagonal, space-filling, third-stage Gosper fractal curve "FlowSnake". Animated in processing and almost ready to order prototype PCBs in @oshpark perfect purple.

#Genuary10 - Hexagonal

#Genuary2024 #CreativeCoding #GenerativeArt #fractal

Flux is Awesome!

Soldering is a gateway skill. It is no different than sewing in that way. When you teach someone how to solder, you open an entire world of engineering to them. It leads to growing STEM capabilities every single time.

Now, let’s open that gate one thousand times for one thousand people in 2024. Who wants to sponsor it? Let’s go. I’m ready.

Two good things happened together. I got a gorgeous new Lux Lavalier pendant from @jasoncoon, which uses WS2816 LEDs for high color fidelity at low brightness, AND I discovered this clear black PLA from Hatchbox which does a reasonable job transmitting light colors while still appearing opaque. It's not as good as LED acrylic, but since it's filament, I can do a lot more with it, like make a snap-fit cover for the Lux Lavalier pendant. Looking forward to more experiments with it.

Taught soldering classes earlier this week. #LearnToSolder